.jpg)
1 hour ago
2
Dailyn Swain will be no stranger to UD Arena in Dayton when his Texas Longhorns play in the First Four on Tuesday night.
He starred on this stage two years in a row in high school with Columbus Africentric at the state final four. And he actually played in the First Four a year ago -- but that was against Texas.
Welcome to modern college basketball.
Swain was at Xavier before this season. And at the end of the 2024-25 season, the Musketeers were sent to Dayton to play in the First Four.
Their opponent? Yep, the Longhorns.
MORE: UMBC upset remains the epitome of March Madness
Xavier won that game, 86-80. Swain had 11 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals.
After the season was over, Xavier coach Sean Miller departed to coach at Texas, and Swain followed him via the transfer portal.
The only thing that would make this goofier would be if Xavier was the Longhorns' opponent. It'll be North Carolina State instead.
But it's certainly a 180-degree turn for Swain, who will try to keep Texas' season alive rather than end it.
“It’s definitely a full-circle moment a little bit,” Swain told reporters on Monday. “My first few days at Texas, I kind of joked with them about how we beat them. Now we’re teammates, and I never let them forget. I remind them probably once a week. It’s definitely a funny feeling, but like he said, I think it’ll be a better result for the Longhorns this time.”
Swain is averaging 17.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.7 steals per game this season, the best campaign of his college career, pushing himself into consideration to be a second-round NBA Draft pick.
First, he'll try to help the Longhorns past the First Four after stifling that very cause one year ago.
English (US)